At Safetots, we understand how important your children’s safety is and how much as a parent or guardian you want to protect them. Once children start to become mobile, they become much more prone to danger and risks. We have a large collection of high-quality, safety and stair gates to fit almost anywhere in the home which have been designed to offer protection and peace of mind.

What is a Stair Gate?

A child safety gate or stair gate is a protective barrier usually put in place indoors to prevent children or animals coming into contact with any hazards and are typically placed at the bottom and top of staircases, the entrance to the kitchen and anywhere a child could potentially come to harm. Stair gates can be made from a variety of materials including retractable mesh, metal and wood and can be both permanent or temporary depending on your needs.

Benefits of a Stair Gate

All parents know babies, toddlers and even pets don’t know when they are taking risks and can be completely unaware of any danger. The stairs are one of the most hazardous places in the home, especially once babies start to become more mobile but by installing a stair gate or safety gate you can ease the worry of your little ones taking a tumble.

Our wide selection of stair gates means you can not only choose a gate that gives you security but also matches the décor of your home. We have a range of stair gates including, pressure fitted safety gates and screw fitted stair gates so you can create a sturdy barrier that will prevent children and pets from climbing the stairs or accessing dangerous areas in the home.

How to Buy a Safety Gate

Before buying a safety or stair gate, it is important to know where your gate will go and what purpose it will serve.

Location/Type

The first thing you should decide is where the gate is going to go. If you are looking for a stair gate, then it is recommended you choose a gate with fixed fittings like a screw fitted stair gate rather than a pressure fitted. Pressure fitted gates are also safety tested to ensure maximum stability, however, a pressure fitted gate will have a trip bar at the foot, which is not suitable for a staircase. At Safetots we often hear that our customers live in rented accommodation and therefore screwing a screw fitted stair gate into the walls is simply not possible. In these instances, we always recommend that a pressure fit stair gate is better than no stair gate, but extreme caution must be used if placing the pressure fit gate at the top of a flight of stairs. It is additionally advisable not to install the gate right on the edge of the top step. If it is possible, look for an extra tall pressure fit gate which you could place at the base of the step below, therefore ensuring no trip bar is at the edge of a step.

Opening

Sounds like an obvious one but you must make sure that the gate you purchase is difficult enough for your toddler to open but you must be able to open it with relative ease. Easier said than done with a wriggling child under your arm!

Size & Adjustability

Most pressure fit gates fit widths ranging from 70-85 cm without the need for an extension. If you have a wider space, you would require a gate extension. Safetots has a width calculator to make sure you get the correct safety or stair gate for your home. Although a pressure fit gate can be moved around different areas of the home, this is not advisable if the gates are going to be used daily. Over a period, by installing and uninstalling a gate, the gates may become less stable. If a pressure fit gate was to be used in a grandparent’s home for example, with visiting grandchildren coming once a week, then putting up the stair gate in preparation for the visit and removing afterwards would be perfectly safe. However, Safetots would still recommend checking the stability of the gate after each installation, and considering the purchase of a gate with an ‘installation indicator’.

Certification

It is important to make sure that your safety or stair gate conforms to correct EU legislation EN 1930:2011 and that the gaps between the bars on the gate do not exceed 6cm. All Safetots stair gates and safety gates conform to current European legislation.

Different Types of Safety and Stair Gates

Screw Fitting

Commonly used for stairs and doorways, screw fitted stair gates are easy to install but must be fixed to a wall. They are ideal for the top of the stairs and do not have a bottom bar which can often be a tripping hazard. If you have a wider space, then stair gate extensions are available.

Pressure Fitting

Pressure fitting safety gates are easy to set up and can expand to fit a range of doorways. Due to the trip bar included on a pressure fit gate, it is not advisable to install at the top of a flight of stairs if possible to install a screw fitted gate.

Auto Close

Auto close safety gates will close behind you to keep your hands free give you extra peace of mind and can be easily installed with pressure fittings.

Retractable

Retractable gates are suitable for children up to 12 months and can withstand impacts of up to 100kg and can be screwed to the wall. These gates feature a roller-blind like mechanism.

Travel

Travel Gates are usually very portable and are collapsible with pressure fittings

Extensions

Stair gate extensions are additional pieces you can add to your gate to extend the span and provide extra protection. There is a wide range to choose from, just make sure you get the correct extensions for your gate.

Accessories

Stair gate accessories are available at Safetots and include items such as no-trip step plates, extra fixings and spindles and gate spacers

Shop all our stair and safety gates online now and buy from the UK’s largest baby safety shop.

Follow these simple step by step instructions to finding the right safety gate for your home:

1. WALL TO WALL - To establish the ‘wall to wall’ measurement, measure from wall to wall where you estimate the top edge of the safety gate to fit. (Standard height gates are approximately 75cm and extra tall gates are 100cm in height. Key in this measurement in centimeters in the ‘wall to wall’ box.

2. FLOOR LEVEL – To establish the ‘floor level’ measurement, measure the estimated floor space, taking into account any skirting boards. It’s important to measure within the skirting boards as this may alter the gate we recommend for you. Key in this measurement in centimeters in the ‘floor level’ box. If there is no difference between the floor level and the wall to wall measurement there is no need to fill in both.

3. Once you have entered ‘wall to wall’ measurements and ‘Floor level’ measurements select the blue GO button. You will now have a list of all suitable and compatible safety gates for your space. Your measurements have now been automatically and accurately calculated.

4. To narrow your search further, select TYPE. Establish the type of safety gate you would prefer and select/click on that option. For example, if you are looking for a Pressure Fit Stair Gate, click on ‘Pressure fit Stair Gates’. You will now have a list of pressure fit stair gates (only) that are compatible with the measurements you have already entered. You can select more than one gate type if required.

5. To narrow your search further, select COLOUR. Click on the preferred gate colour or colours. At this point you will have a list of gates in your chosen TYPE and COLOUR that will fit your exact measurements.

6. Continue to follow the process of points 4 and 5 for GATE MATERIAL, BRAND and GATE FEATURES.

7. Once you have completed your selections, you will now be left with a list of safety gates compatible with your space in your preferred brand, colour and style with any particular gate features required.

8. To start the process again, simply click the blue x in the top right corner of the finder, this will take you to a fresh stair gate finder page.

The space in my home is unique?

If the Safetots stair gate finder is not working for you due to an unusual or awkward space, contact the safety gate experts at Safetots who will aim to make recommendations to you based on your requirements.

Where to fit or put your stair gate?

Stair gates provide instant safety for active toddlers and young children in the home, they allow you to create an immediate divide between rooms, enabling your child to play freely in a designated area free from harm. Safety gates can be fitted in your child’s bedroom door frame, keeping them safe from entering other areas of the home, giving you peace of mind should they wake in the night and climb out of bed. Most parents fit baby stair gates to the top and bottom of their stairs to keep their children free from potential hazardous falls. Screw fitted safety gates have no trip bar, frequently making them the preferred choice for the top of stairs, for many parents they are considered the best stair gate for the top of the stairs. Pressure fitted safety gates are often the more popular choice for the bottom of the stairs. A pressure fitted stair gate relies purely on pressure for installation, there are no tools or drilling required, these safety gates are particularly popular with people in rented properties and families who would prefer not to drill into walls or bannisters. Safety gates provide the perfect room divide between kitchens and living areas, preventing children from entering the kitchen and being exposed to potential dangers in the kitchen. Safety gates are available in a range of sizes to fit most doorways, they can be used as a divide between any room upstairs and downstairs in the home. Baby gates are also used in nurseries throughout the UK, a popular option for keeping children safe whilst they learn and play.

How many stair gates do I need?

The number of stair gates required will depend on the size of your home and the number of rooms/areas you want to prevent your child from entering. Safety gates are frequently bought for both the top and bottom of each flight of stairs, kitchen and bathroom doorways. Baby gates are also a popular option in creating a divide between a toddler’s bedroom and the stairwell. Baby stair gates are often purchased for other family members such as grandparents, ensuring their home, for family visits is also a safe place for your child to play. Safety gates can also be installed on external doors to create a divide between the inside and outside of the home.

What age are stair gates for?

Stair gates are designed and safety tested up to 24 months, however, many families continue to have safety gates in their home once their child is beyond the age of 24 months. Stair gate safety is imperative for young children and baby gates are frequently kept in place for longer to keep babies and toddlers safer in the home for longer. Safety gates are frequently used as a room divide between young children (of all ages) and pets. Stair gates can remain in place for as long as deemed necessary by a parent or carer, there is no set rule as to when a baby gate should be taken down. The development of each child is different and some parents may feel the need to keep their baby gates in place for a longer duration than others.

What stair gates are best?

There is a wide choice of stair gates from which to choose, each available in a range of sizes. Safety gates are available in metal, wood and mesh and can be pressure fitted, screw fitted or retractable. For stair gate safety, many parents prefer to install a screw fitted baby gate to the top of the stairs, screw fitted baby gates benefit from having no trip bar, making them an ultra-safe option as there is no bar to physically step over and potentially fall over. However, pressure fitted stair gates remain a popular choice for the top of stairs, by simply fitting an extra tall stair gate across the step directly below the top stair, the trip bar is then safely tucked into the back of the lower stair as opposed to being a raised bar at the top of the stair. Retractable baby gates are a great safety gate option for parents looking for a lightweight, contemporary stair gate in their home. Fitted with wall mounted brackets, retractable baby gates can be fully retracted and neatly tucked away when not in use and quickly and simply pulled into place when needed. Auto close stair gates are a great option for busy homes, the auto close system ensures a safety gate with this feature closes slowly and securely behind you. The auto close stair gate is a popular choice for families with older siblings, with a guaranteed close system that doesn’t slam behind you, it gives peace of mind that the safety gate has closed securely. For families looking for a less-permanent stair gate, there are several options. Screw fitted safety gates benefit from fixed wall mounted brackets, enabling a gate to be slotted in when needed and removed when no longer needed. By keeping the bracket in place, grandparents and carers can pop the safety gate into the brackets when needed and simply remove the gate when children are no longer in their care. Retractable gates are another great less permanent option.

Why are stair gates important?

With parents and carers becoming increasingly aware and educated on the potential dangers for young children in the home, stair gates are now the popular purchase for nearly all new parents with active young babies and toddlers. Stair gates create an instant room divider, allowing you to control where your child can and can’t play. By restricting access to kitchens, bathrooms and stairs with the installation of safety gates, parents can have peace of mind that their child is playing in a room free from potential dangers whilst they go about their day. Stair gate safety is exceptionally important for families with active babies and young toddlers where children are still to learn how to use the stairs safely. Stair gates prevent children from accessing the stairs both at the top and bottom and prevent potential life-threatening incidents from happening. Safety gates provide the ultimate divider between two areas, they keep children safe from pets, act as a divide between the indoors and outdoors and enable you to create a designated area for your child to play safely.

How to buy stair gates?

Stair gates and safety gates can be purchased online with Safetots, the UKs largest shopping destination for child safety products. Safetots supply pressure fitted, retractable and screw fit stair gates in a range of brands, sizes, colours, and material. Safetots also has a unique stair gate finder that enables customers to key in their exact measurements, the type of safety gate they are looking to purchase, the brand, the gate material and any specific features. This unique stair gate finder narrows down the search for customers, enabling them to see a comprehensive list of compatible safety gates. Safetots supply stair gates for most budgets, measurements and other specific requirements. With expert knowledge in the industry, Safetots are in a unique position to help and guide customers with their stair gate purchase.
If you have any further questions on stair gates, safety gates or other child safety essentials, please contact us.